The Learning Commons

The university that puts you first, especially when you need that extra assistance beyond the classroom.

The Learning Commons (located in the Patriot Success Center in the basement of the Grover M. Hermann Library) provides various services and events like peer study groups, one-on-one tutoring, workshops covering specific topics and skills, and a toolbox of resources that can help students succeed both in the classroom and the whole University experience! Events are hosted through a mixture of Academic Fellow and other campus members. Look for events or schedule a session!

Don’t see a time that works with your schedule?
No problem! Stop by the Patriot Success Center (basement of the Rollins Family Learning Center), 8 am – 5 pm or email us at tlc [at] ucumberlands.edu (tlc[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu) and we will work it out.

Contact Us
Email us at tlc [at] ucumberlands.edu (tlc[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu) or call 606.539.4312 (undergraduates) or 606.539.4216 (graduates) for more info or assistance.

Undergraduate On-Campus Tutoring: Come visit us in our new space in the Library basement! The location is spacious and flexible, so you can meet with an Academic Fellow (safely) in-person for a one-on-one session or a small group study. To schedule an on-campus, in-person session, just email tlc [at] ucumberlands.edu

Online Tutoring: Need help and you don’t want to get out in the snow? Or the drive is too far? Or you live far far away? No worries, the Learning Commons offers assistance in partnership with Tutor.com to provide online, on demand resources so that all undergraduate students and select graduate students, no matter where you are, have access.

Log into your Blackboard course and click "Online Tutoring" on the left-hand side course menu and then Select your Topic and Subject from the Drop-down Menu.

Graduate students, want to learn more? Check out the resources below or connect with a Graduate Writing Fellow:

Connect With Us

Writing Resources

APA style citation brief, 7th edition
Creating Synthesis in Your Writing
Tips on Writing a Literature Review
Writing Effective Research Questions
Writing an Annotated Bibliography
9 Tips for Proofreading
Creating a Graduate Level Writing Style

Academic Writer

Academic Writer provides instruction, resources, and templates for writing with APA. This is a one-stop place to do all your APA formatting requirements. You can start writing papers in Academic Writer with the templates provided, add citations with the templates provided, and save work in the program.
Find it here: Activate your account with your UC credentials through the library’s Citation Help Tools page.
After activation visit: Academic Writer

Grammarly

As a UC student, you will have access to Grammarly Premium today for free! What is Grammarly, you ask? Grammarly is your new silent, personal editor to help you take your writing from alright to amazing! Watch this video to see what it can do.

Accessing Grammarly Accounts: University of the Cumberlands provides all students with a Premium Grammarly account. To access your account access OneLogin and locate the Grammarly tile to login. (Tip: Choose the "Company: Everything" tab to locate Grammarly) Need help with Grammarly? Contact the Learning Commons at tlc [at] ucumberlands.edu (tlc[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu)

Benefits of using Grammarly:

Choose the writing style that best fits your assignment or your audience (think formal, informal, general) to receive custom feedback for your chosen style
With Grammarly vocabulary enhancements, to can revise your phrasing to add clarity and choose a writing style that sounds more like your awesome self.
Want to be sure your words are shining through, and you’re not using too much research? Grammarly’s plagiarism checker can help you with that too.
Run your discussion posts for your online classes through Grammarly, check vocabulary on job application materials and social media posts, and add it to your phone. Grammarly can save you from autocorrect’s cruelty.

Additional Support Links:
Grammarly Tips & Tutorials
Using Grammarly with Microsoft Office (PC & Mac)
How To: Check for Plagiarism Using Grammarly

Zotero

Zotero is an open-source easy to use tool to collect, organize and cite your research. As you get into larger and more complex writing projects, as are common in graduate school, you will need a way to keep your sources organized and easy to search. If you will be writing a dissertation, this is a must!
Find it here: Create your free account!

Mendeley

Mendeley is a reference manager that helps students collect, manage, and cite research sources. Mendeley allows you to manage your citations in one place and organize them into collections for different projects and more. It also supports AMA (American Medical Association) citation style.

Click here for the Getting Started guide.

The Grover M. Hermann Library

The university library offers a wealth of free resources, digital and in print, to help students with their academic journey

Explore the Library

A student using a laptop inside renovated library

Learning Commons FAQ

So what is the TLC exactly?

We are your resource for any help you might want in your courses at Cumberlands, whether you are on campus or in a far away land. We offer our services both in-person in our space in the Patriot Success Center (basement of the Grover M. Hermann Library), but also virtually. Those services include workshops, resources, study groups (yes, including virtual study groups), and tutoring. We are here whether you simply want to do your best or if you are completely overwhelmed and confused.

What are Academic Fellows?

Academic Fellows are our rock-star team of students and staff who are here to help you navigate your courses. The Fellows organize study groups and events, and are also available for individual or group tutoring. They are also here to offer the occasional snack, warm welcome, chat about how to contact faculty, or even commiserate on homesickness. In short, we are a very friendly group who want nothing more than to make your program a little easier.

I am having a really hard time in one/two/a few/all of my courses. What should I do?

Take a deep breath. You are not alone! If you are having a hard time in one or two courses, schedule a session with a tutor in your content area. And if you are enrolled in the History of Bavaria and don’t see a tutor fit, just shoot us an email at tlc [at] ucumberlands.edu (tlc[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu) and we will figure it out. If all of your classes feel overwhelming, please shoot us an email (again, tlc [at] ucumberlands.edu (tlc[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu)) and we will create a plan to get you back on track.

Who can use TLC?

Are you a human being who is currently enrolled in some form or course at the University of the Cumberlands? Do you like cookies? Then TLC is for you! Even if you don’t like cookies, although if you see us in person we might try to give you one. TLC is here for students who are excelling in their courses, as well as those of us who are having a harder time. You can access our services without any referral.

Will you tell my Faculty/Mom/Dog/Best Friend that I am getting tutoring?

Nope. That is not how we roll. But please bring your dog by, if you get a chance. We will lovingly pet your pooch while keeping our lips sealed.

Do I have to come in-person to get services?

Not at all! We offer all of our services online, so you can enjoy them with your laptop propped up in front of you in bed while wearing your jammies if you like. We don’t even care if you are in the next building over.

So why would I ever come to Patriot Success Center?

Snacks. Great study space. Friendly people. Did we mention the snacks? We schedule tutoring sessions around your availability. Additionally, the open study area is open the same hours as the library. For assistance with study support resources or to schedule a tutoring session, please email us at tlc [at] ucumberlands.edu (tlc[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu)

Does this cost money?

There is never any costs associated with our services. Nada. Zip. Nunca.

How can I become an Academic Fellow?

Please introduce your awesome self to our director, Emily Coleman at emily.l.coleman [at] ucumberlands.edu (emily[dot]l[dot]coleman[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu). You can also find her in the Patriot Success Center during business hours.

Where is the Patriot Success Center?

We are located in the basement of the library. It is easiest to access the center from the sidewalk between the admissions office and the Rollins Athletics Center.

How do I schedule with a Writing Fellow?

Planning ahead and want to schedule a session with one of our Writing Fellows? You can choose to meet virtually or in-person.

Will you fix my paper?

We will help you improve your writing skills, which should improve your paper. We will not edit your paper for you. If we did that, it wouldn’t sound like you, and we want your voice to shine through your writing!

So what can a Writing Fellow help me with?

Our Writing Fellows can help you with all levels of writing, citing, and research and maybe even tips on how to make the perfect smoothie. You can get advice on planning your writing project, gathering research, managing that research, drafting, revising, and citing your sources. We can chat about issues you are having with your project, or you can submit a document for feedback.

What if my professor says I have lots of grammar/punctuation/style issues to fix in my paper?

Grammarly to the rescue! Grammarly is a program that can help you spot trouble areas in your writing (all kinds of writing, not just papers!) with grammar, punctuation, word choices, spelling, sentence structure, even plagiarism checking. Wow, right? Grammarly is a grammar fanatic, but nicer about pointing out all your comma splices. And no one else has to know how many comma splices you had in your paper before Grammerly so gently pointed them out and showed you how to fix them.

Download Grammarly

What if I just need help with my citations?

Lucky for you we have style guides that can help you check your citations. Use the Library’s style guide to check your citations and your format. Sure, you can find some citation checkers online, but user beware! They are not created equal, and none of them can create all your citations correctly. If you really want to be sure it’s right, or you have one of those weird sources to figure out, upload your paper for a citation review or email us at tlc [at] ucumberlands.edu (tlc[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu)

Help! I can’t find any/enough/more research!

Take a deep breath and tell your self ‘you got this’. And then check out the Library’s research guides. Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Email The Learning Commons at tlc [at] ucumberlands.edu (tlc[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu) and we can brainstorm a solution together!

What if I’m working on a thesis/dissertation/graduate paper/proposal?

First, pat yourself on the back for being so successful in your class so far! Then check out our resources for graduate students. You can browse through tip sheets and other resources, submit documents for feedback, and connect with a Writing Fellow in-person and online.

Are you using Academic Writer to help you write and manage your papers and sources? The Writing Center can help you learn how to use Academic Writer to help you excel in all your graduate classes.

What if English is not my first, second, or third language?

Bravo! Don’t worry; we have resources to help you hone your English skills that will help you in your studies. Check out our ESL specific resources:

Grammar, Reading, and Writing

Listening and Speaking